Pickles Auctions Questions & Answers (page 3 of 4)

Pickles makes no claims about the authenticity (or otherwise) of the goods sold via PicklesOnline.
We encourage you to inspect all goods before bidding.

Hi Trev,

Duly noted, sometimes the quality of images is certainly not the best and we are in the process of upgrading all camera systems, so hopefully in future you will find the image quality improved. Can you tell me which branch it was that you were viewing the images from? I will follow up with them.

Regards, Pickles Cx

Hi Helen,

Apologies for the late reply to your question.

You can simply call the branch on 08 6595 0777 and ask to speak with either the Salvage Manager (Michelle) or the Salvage Ops Supervisor (Craig), either one should be able to assist. Or you can email the branch at [email protected].

Regards, Pickles Cx

Hi Mark,

Thank for the question. Here's a little explanation about our (and most other) auctions, and specifically what happens when bids reach or don't reach the 'Reserve'.

The way that auctions work is that unless specified ‘Unreserved’ there will be a ‘Reserve’ price set.

This Reserve price is set by the Vendor (asset owner). We provide the Vendor with a valuation which is an indication of what we believe the asset should reach at auction, but ultimately it is the Vendor who decides what the reserve price is set at, based on a value they wish to achieve for their asset.

In an auction one of three things will happen.

1. SOLD: in this situation the highest bid has reached or exceeded the Reserve price and the highest bidder at ‘hammer fall’ has won the asset.

2. PASSED IN: this is where the highest bid did not reach the reserve price. In this situation the asset is held back and may be placed in another auction at a later time or, the Vendor may decide to remove the asset from auction. It's important to note that a vendor may decide to place their asset into multiple auctions until either sold or removed from auction.

3. REFERRED: in this situation, the highest bid may have come close to the Reserve, but did not reach it. When this happens, at the Auctioneers discretion, the highest bid is referred to the Vendor, they will then decide to either accept or decline the highest bid, or make a counter offer. If no agreement is reached between the highest bidder and the Vendor then the Vendor may decide to place the asset into another auction at a later date or, remove the asset from auction altogether. Again, this asset may make it's way into multiple auctions until sold or removed.

I hope this explanation provides you with a little more clarity about the auction process.

Regards, Pickles Cx

Hi Gav,

Firstly, apologies for the very late reply to your question. For some reason it was missed so I am sorry that we have not made contact till now.

Now, your question is a good one. If you're not familiar with how auctions run then it can be a little daunting, but generally they are exciting and provide a great opportunity to get a great car, at a very competitive price.

Firstly let me point out a few key tips on how you should approach an auction.

Once, you’ve identified a vehicle (or any asset) that you wish to bid on the most important thing you need to do is ensure the asset is of a condition you will be happy to accept.

It’s important to remember that you are bidding on a pre-owned (used) asset, so you can assume they will have some form of wear and tear based on their age and mileage.

Whilst we provide a Condition Report on each car these reports are merely based on an external review, where we check for obvious visible damage (scratches, dents, paintwork damage, tyre condition, etc…). We do not undertake full mechanical inspections on any of the assets!

N.B. we do not provide any commitment or guarantee as to the assets condition, so the onus is on you to ensure you are happy with what you are buying. Please ensure you familiarise yourself with our T&C’s which can be found at the below URL.

So, there are a few steps to ensure you get the best asset for your needs.

Firstly, inspect the vehicle (if possible).

1. We make keys available, so you can start the asset, listen to discern if the engine is running correctly and check things like the warning lights.
2. We are unable to offer test drives unfortunately as neither we nor the Vendor are insured for test drives, so we encourage customers to engage their own mechanic if they wish to check the vehicle for mechanical issues.
3. Review the log book or service history, which we make available. This is important as it will tell you how well the asset has been cared for, tell you how frequently and when it was last serviced, it can also point you to (based on the age and mileage) what components or consumables may need repair or replacement at the next scheduled service.

Once you’re have satisfied yourself that the car is the one you want then you’ll need to understand how the Auction will progress. Here are a couple of points about the auction process.

The way that auctions work is that unless specified ‘Unreserved’ there will be a ‘Reserve’ price set.

This Reserve price is set by the Vendor (asset owner). We provide the Vendor with a valuation which is an indication of what we believe the asset should reach at auction, but ultimately it is the Vendor who decides what the reserve price is set at.

In an auction one of three things will happen.

1. SOLD: in this situation the highest bid has reached or exceeded the Reserve price and the highest bidder at ‘hammer fall’ has won the asset.

2. PASSED IN: this is where the highest bid did not reach the reserve price. In this situation the asset is held back and may be placed in another auction at a later time or, the Vendor may decide to remove the asset from auction.

3. REFERRED: in this situation the highest bid may have come close to, but did not reach the Reserve price. When this happens, the highest bid is referred to the Vendor, they will then decide to either accept or decline the highest bid, or make a counter offer. If no agreement is reached between the highest bidder and the Vendor then the Vendor may decide to place the asset into another auction at a later date or, remove the asset from auction.

If you’d like to know more you can always pop into your local Pickles branch for advice, or check out the FAQ’s section of our website (see below link) which is very helpful.

If all of this sounds a little intimidating then there is always another option, that is our Fixed Price (PicklesGO) option.

This is where we sell cars at a pre-determined ‘Fixed’ price, no bidding, no haggling, just see the car and decide it’s at a value you are happy with. PicklesGO ‘Fixed Price’ is an option that more and more of our customers prefer as you avoid the bidding process and can get a great car at great value. Check our PicklesGo section of the website.

https://www.pickles.com.au/cars/fixed-price#!/search-result?q=FixedPriceFlag.True.

Sorry for the long-winded response but I hope that gives you a little more clarity and comfort about Pickles and the options available to get your next car.

Regards, Pickles Cx

Hi Geoff,

Thanks for the question. Please see below (which is an extract from our FAQ's) that should explain the process for you.

If you are the highest bidder on an item and the current bid meets the vendor’s reserve, then you will win the item. We will send you an email with a statement attached but you can always find out the status of all items you are bidding on by signing in to My Pickles.

To find out if you have won a Pickles Online auction after bidding has ended, sign in to My Pickles and click on “Pickles Online" in the Bidding menu.

You will see four sections on the next screen:

1. My Current Bids
2. My Closed Bids
3. My Buy Now History
4. My Deposits

All items for which bidding has ended will appear in the "My Closed Bids" section. The outcome of your bid is shown alongside the item.

Apart from having the highest bid which meets reserve at the end of the auction, you can win an item outright by electing to “Buy Now". As soon as anyone elects to buy an item outright using Buy Now, it is withdrawn from bidding and the Buy Now purchaser wins the item.

Items you have bought using Buy Now appear in the My Buy Now History section in My Pickles.

I hope that this provides you with the answer you were looking for.

Regards, Pickles Cx

Hi Jas,

Thank you so much for contacting us about this issue.
You will need to contact the Sunshine branch directly on (03) 9009 3111.
We would have paid the encumbrance on the vehicle when it was sold to you & it should have been removed.
The branch will be able to sort this out for you.

Kind regards,
Carolyn
Pickles

Hi Victoria,

Thank you so much for forwarding on your feedback.
I am so sorry that no one was available to answer your call. It is highly probable that there was an auction(s) happening at that time.
Nevertheless, is there something specific that I can assist you with?
If you could let me know your question & to which branch you were trying to contact?

Kind regards,
Carolyn
Pickles

Hi Waseem,

Thank you for your question.
You will need to contact the branch where the vehicle was won regarding an accidental purchase.
If you let me know which branch, I can give you their phone number.
Let me know if you have trouble getting through.
If auctions are in progress, the lines can be busy.

Kind regards,
Carolyn
Pickles
[email protected]

Hi James,
Regarding not being able to see the car images. If there is a text that states "No image Available" it means that we have only just received the vehicle & the photos of said vehicle(s) have not yet been taken. Once they have, the images will automatically upload to the website.
If this is not what you are talking about, you might need to contact our IT department on 1 800 005 336 or [email protected]

Kind regards,
Carolyn
Pickles

Hi MKN,

To sell your car through us, please copy & download the following link into your browser.
https://www.pickles.com.au/sell-through-us/Sell-Your-Car

Alternatively, use the following link to bring your car to a Pickles branch for a valuation.
https://www.pickles.com.au/valuations
Scroll down within this link to see the contact numbers for the branches.

Depending on the condition, age, kilometres etc of your vehicle will determine whether it goes into a regular vehicle auction or a salvage auction.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Carolyn
Pickles

Hi Mick,

If you have your car with us to be sold on consignment, we will notify you once it has been sold.
If it does not sell in the initial auction, it will be included in a second auction.
If the car in question is a repossessed or a salvage/insurance vehicle, we will not notify you.
You will have to contact your insurance company to find the location of where it was taken & contact that particular branch.
You can also search our website to see if it is still listed.
I hope this has answered your question.

Kind regards,
Carolyn
Pickles

Hi Aws,

Once you have successfully purchased a vehicle you must pick it up within two days.
There is a $66 per day storage fee payable after 48 hours.
If you are having difficulty with this time frame, please call the branch directly to make alternate arrangements.

Kind regards,
Carolyn
Pickles

Hi Gill,
Thanks for your inquiry. Please find the following information:

Can I adjust my bid if I make a mistake?

Yes – if you are the current bid holder, you can adjust your maximum bid up to any value you like. You can also adjust your bid down to the current bid value.

For example, if you accidentally bid $100,000 but you meant to bid only $10,000 then you will probably be winning the lot. The current bid may be an amount such as $7,000. In this case you may adjust your maximum bid down to any amount which is at least equal to $7,000.

You are free to adjust your bid as many times as you like.

How do I adjust my bid?

To adjust your maximum bid amount:

1. Return to the item details screen for the lot in question
2. Enter a new maximum bid amount
3. Click the Bid button
4. Confirm your new maximum bid in the next screen
5. Click the Confirm button

You may adjust your maximum bid as often as you like.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Carolyn
Pickles

Hi Kevin,

Here is a link to how to sell your vehicle through Pickles: https://www.pickles.com.au/cars/services/sell
You will need to copy & paste the above link into your browser. Please then choose the relevant Pickles location, closest to you.
As an example, if you are in Sydney, you would need to bring the vehicle to 36-40 Harp Street in Belmore.
Call (02) 9704 6669 first to make an appointment to have your car valued.
You will need to bring your drivers licence, registration, proof of purchase & a pink slip no more than 28 days old.
There is a cost of $176 which will cover your vehicle in two auctions. (This cost may vary at different locations)
I hope this helps.

Kind Regards,
Carolyn
Pickles
[email protected]

Hi Kevin,

Thank you so much for Contacting us. You can go to the website: classiccars.pickles.com.au.
You can register on this website & we can then let you know the outcomes.
The final results are not yet through.
I'm glad you enjoyed the auction!

Kind regards,
Carolyn
Pickles

Hi Ahmad,

Thank you so much for contacting us with your question.
I am sorry I was not able to help you at the time as I do not work on the weekends.
In the future, if this issue occurs again, you can just put in another LOWER bid.
You cannot however list an amount lower than the current bid.
I hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Carolyn
Pickles

Hi Rob,

Thank you so much for contacting us with your question.
Regarding reserve prices, they are set by our vendors & are not able to be released.
It's just the same as how home property auctions have reserves.
If you have a particular vehicle or item in mind, please contact us to give you an estimated price range.

Kind regards,
Carolyn
Pickles